Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-29
WHITE SLAVERY IN PERU.
Adventures OF Man Who Sought
Fortune in South America.

Joseph Rumback Is a German about
thirty years of age. He Is a gardener
by trade, and has worked for some OF
the best people In San Francisco.
About ten months ago he sailed for
Callao, in Peru. thinking to better his
fortune. Like many others he had an
idea that silver and gold were plenti-
full in South America, and that any in
telllgent foreigner could make money
faster there than in this country. A
few days In Callao and Lima, however,
soon disabused his mind Of this idea,
and he was glad to accept a place as
gardener on the hacienda. OF q Mr.. Or
begosa, seven days ride on mule back
into the interior of the country over
the Cordillera mountains. According
to his letter of Instructions. which he
has with him, he was to receive twenty
dollars month in silver, a house in the
yard of the hacienda house. bed and
bedding. and his meals. His duties
were 10 be to look after and improve
the flower and vegetable gardens at
tached TO the house.
When he arrived ut the hacienda he
found that 1t was barren coffee PLAN
tation, and that he was expected to
work with the Indian laborers in the
coffee helds. HIS house consisted of an
adobe hut of but one room with no
windows and nothing but a cot, mat
tress and pair OF blankets In the way
OF furniture. He stuck to his work for
about four weeks, hoping his position,
might be improved, but finding no like
lihOod OF change he resolved to throw
up the situation and try to better him.
self. He went to the administrator or
manager and told him that he wished
to leave. To his surprise, he found
that lie would not be allowed to do so,
but that he must remain and work
whether he liked It or not. This was
on Wednesday. On the following Mon.
day he packed his clothing In bag,
strung it across his shoulders, and
started to retrace on foot the weary
journey across mountains to the coast.
On the evening OF the second day,
while sitting in the house of an Indian
in village. there came a knock at the
door. 1t was thrown open and in
rushed the administrator of the hacienda
with seven men, all armed with rifles,
at his back. Rumbach was seized and
taken to the jail, where he spent the
next twenty-four hours. The jail was
q close, hot place, without windows or
any other means of ventilation. On
the following day he was taken back to
the hacienda and forced to 90 to work
again. He was told that he could not
get away, and was urged to marry an
Indian girl and settle down contentedly
to work.
About three weeks after his return
he again told the administrator that he
wished to leave, and was again re-
fused. That night q Spaniard. who
was also labOrer on the plantation.
canss tst ,ii.s.- AID warmed him that II
he did noe comply with the wishes of
the administrator he would be put In
chains and worked liked the Indians.
Rumback states that the administrator
and his chief assistants were absolute
masters of all the men on the planta.
ton. They tried them for any infrac-
tion OF the rules, and sentenced them
to the chain gang under boss who
drove them at their work with a whip,
which he did not scruple to use on the
slightest provOcation. For more serious
Offenses both imprisonment and whip
ping were the punishments.
Not relishing the outlook, Rumbach
resolved 10 make another attempt to
escape from slavery. At two O'Clock
the next morning he climbed over the
wall of the patio, and again started on
a tramp to the coast. For six days and
niohta ha tro pnpod 0var tho mountains
carefully avoiding the only beaten
road, for he WAS warned by some
friendly Indians the first day OF his
journey that he was being pursued.
He lived on such fruits and berries as
he could pick. and upon occasional
gifts of the Indians, who guided and
assisted him in his flight. On the
seventh day he reached the coast and
made his way to Callao, and thence 10
Lima.